From a Fangirl's Perspective

She Was Pretty – Episode 3-13

Since the drama already has 13 episodes out, I’d decide that I’d review all of the released episodes in one post and then do a separate episode review for the to-be-released. As a result, this review might be a bit vague, so I’m going to split it up as best as I can.

Let’s start out with Siwon’s character, Shin Hyuk. Never have I ever had second-lead-syndrome so bad. I usually just root for the main because I already know how it’s going to turn out. But Shin Hyuk warmed hearts with his light-hearted attempts at romance. He genuinely likes Hye Jin for who she is, not because of who she reminds him of (a.k.a Sung Joon). He thought she was pretty before all of the drama started to unfold.

I mean come on, look at those faces!

If you don’t love him already, this should convince you. Chocolate abs of steel, and is it just me, or does his beard somehow make him look younger/sexier?

Episodes 3-6 are really just about how much Sung Joon hates Hye Jin. He sees her as below him. He can’t stand her, even though she tries so hard to prove herself to him. Up until around episode 10 or 11, he still thinks that Ha Ri is Hye Jin until he finally figures it out just before Ha Ri was going to tell him. As for Ha Ri, I really enjoyed her character. Although she wasn’t on that much, we got to see how she legitimately changed throughout the story. She fell in love with Sung Joon, but she felt so guilty about the fact that she was hurting both Sung Joon, her first love, and Hye Jin, her best friend. I really, really enjoyed her character. As for Sung Joon, he’s still an ass.

The rest of the episodes are really just…basic. Sung Joon sees Hye Jin, his childhood friend in Hye Jin, his hated intern. He soon falls in love with her, but he’s confused about his feelings. Until he realizes that Ha Ri is not Hye Jin, but Hye Jin is Hye Jin, he feels like a total ass. However, he’s super pissed as Ha Ri, yet not mad at all at Hye Jin. I thought this was totally uncalled for. I can understand him being upset with Ha Ri, but you have to look at the entire situation. This whole thing started with you, Sung Joon, not recognizing Hye Jin. I know she’s changed, but she recognized him from the start. And then Hye Jin, yes, the childhood friend he loves/hates is the one who asked Ha Ri to pretend to be Hye Jin, his first love. He was mad at Ha Ri for lying and jerking him around, but he didn’t even stop to consider how this entire situation had affected Ha Ri, who truly came to love Sung Joon. Furthermore, Hye Jin had multiple opportunities to tell him who she was, like when they went on that business trip, or when she covered him in the rain. Sung Joon should have been upset with both, but instead, he just took it out on Ha Ri.

So, yes, I want Shin Hyuk and Hye Jin to end up together, but the way episodes 12 and 13 went, I don’t see that happening. What I do see is huge heartbreak for Shin Hyuk in the end.

Rating: 5.9

This whole thing went downhill once Sung Joon found out Ha Ri wasn’t Hye Jin so early on. The rest of the drama is basically going to focus on the incomplete love triangle. Incomplete, because Hye Jin only has eyes for Sung Joon while Shin Hyuk has deep feelings for Hye Jin. I like a good romance drama, but this one just really kind of…irritated me.

I liked this drama, but it didn’t grab me and drag me in like I was hoping it would. I can’t stand Sung Joon’s character and Hye Jin was alright, but she wasn’t anything special. However, Shin Hyuk’s character is so well done and well acted, it saved this drama from being such a bore.

Also, have you guys heard the fan theories? People are speculating that Hye Jin is already dead. During a particularly awkward scene, Sung Joon and Hye Jin are seen eating at Hye Jin’s parents house to celebrate their anniversary. Fans are saying that there is proof that Hye Jin is dead because the food they were eating are dishes traditionally used to honor the dead. That would also explain why Sung Joon had such a depressed face throughout this entire scene. Also, at the end of the episode, Hye Jin ‘disappears’, though she actually just moved to a different spot and Sung Joon freaked out. He gives her a cliche back hug and says how ‘I thought I’d lost you’. So, as crazy as it sounds, I can actually see that. Read more about it here.

I really hope that isn’t the case, although it would definitely make for an interesting ending. That would make for a severely depressing drama. The entire series is about Sung Joon finding his first love, and then as soon as he does he loses her again. I don’t know, but that doesn’t seem to be tying up loose ends very well. For such a lighthearted drama about first love and developing relationships, such an ending seems a bit…uncharacteristic.

Furthermore, Siwon’s character will be left. I don’t know what would happen with him. Shin Hyuk knew that Hye Jin would go to Sung Joon, but he was happy just being beside her. He even said he didn’t want to lose such a dongsaeng because of his feelings for her making things awkward. So, to Shin Hyuk, it’d be worse than Sung Joon losing a first love.

Writers have yet to say if the ending with be happy or sad (I’m voting happy), but the theories are sounding more and more plausible.